From Days Gone By
by Atlantian Magic
Summary: UPDATED! AU Tea and Seto are reluctant participants in a marriage that's been arranged by their parents. They had no idea that their journey to love would span centuries. SetoTea
1. Prologue

From Days Gone By  
written by Atlantis  
©2004  
  
This started out as the response to a challenge given by my buddy Tara-hime and morphed into a beast that I cannot control. It's just too much fun working on this fic, particularly because I know exactly where it's going in future chapters. The story itself takes place in Europe between 1700 and 1800 but I am taking bits and pieces from different time periods to fit my needs and wants for this fic. It is not entirely historically accurate so please do not mistake it as such. I'm just having fun throwing stuff together while making sure it's not too radical (meaning that it still makes sense). Please enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I of course do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! and hope that you are not daft enough to presume I do. This ficlet is mine however.  
  
Rating: PG-13 (eventually - this chapter, and several after, will probably be closer to PG)

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Don't let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that comes from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ.  
  
Colossians 3:8

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PROLOGUE: Amorio Love Affair  
  
Seto shrugged out of his overcoat, handing it over to the doorman as he followed his parents into the foyer. The Kaibas were an elite family but tonight they were not hosting; they were attending. Seto was insanely jealous of his little brother who had come down with the mumps that very day because he got to miss the party. The whole thing was a farce anyway.  
  
The only reason people attended these parties were to stop rumors, start them, or play matchmaker. His parents were doing the third and he was the one to be matched. Tonight he would meet the girl that was to be his. **_Damn the person who came up with the idea of arranged marriages,_** Seto thought viciously as he stormed behind his parents who threw casual greetings right and left as they made their way through the crowd.  
  
He nearly bumped into his father when his mother suddenly stopped and turned around to face him, her face alight and eager. She grasped his forearm.  
  
"Dear?" she questioned. "You do know what to say when you meet her right?" Seto fought the urge to roll his eyes. His mother treated him like a toddler sometimes and his gaze strayed to his father, an older and wizened mirror-image of himself, who looked ready to laugh.  
  
"Of course, Mother," he replied through his teeth, grinning handsomely and slightly glaring at the woman who had brought him into this world. He watched her chew her lip for a short moment before she took a strong hold on him and pulled him forward, pushing him to stand in front of a stunning woman. Her brown hair was piled atop her head elegantly, small strands framing her face, or at least framing what he could see because she hid her countenance behind a small fan. He could feel the intense stares on his back from his parents and took a step forward.  
  
Seto swallowed hard as he bowed to the lady before him. "Lady Téa... would you do me the honor... of allowing me to court you?" He smiled weakly at her. Something ticked in the back of his mind and as he watched her begin to giggle, he knew he was missing something. At a closer glance, he realized she was older than he and flushed angrily at being laughed at.  
  
"Young Master Kaiba, I'm afraid you have the wrong woman, though it was an amazing compliment to my age. You are seeking my daughter," the woman before him said airily, removing the fan to show her pretty white teeth. "You'll find her outside on the balcony moping. She dislikes parties and I can't, for the life of me, understand why. Now run along and find her. I'm sure you two will get along just fine." Hiding his shock behind a cool facade, Seto gave the woman another bow and left her, spying an open balcony door in a few short moments. What met his eyes took his breath away.  
  
A young woman, a girl really, a few years younger than he leaned over the balcony, her hair flowing free and dancing on the wind around her head like a halo. Her gloves and fan were lying haphazardly on a stone bench a few feet from her, forgotten. At a second glance, he noticed that her shoes were sitting underneath the bench as well and Seto held a chuckle in. His right eyebrow quirked up in curiosity as he watched the girl lean to her left, lifting her full pale blue skirts and petticoats before righting herself again and stretching an arm back, the other extended in front of her. He heard the sound of rushing air and then a yelp, then watched as the girl covered her mouth in an outright laugh, no giggle by any standards, and duck beneath the railing to hide herself. Seto licked his lips at the sight she made in the outside light; a vision in light blue with off-the-shoulder sleeves that bared fair and unblemished skin. She stopped laughing when her eyes finally spotted him in the yellow light of the doorway.  
  
Surely a demi-god stood before her for no other creature could resemble such perfection in flesh. A young man stood bathed in the golden light that filtered outside from the ballroom, allowing shadows to move and curl about his form as though he controlled them. He was tall, that much was obvious because he was only a short distance from the top of doorway. But he was well-proportioned and had the look of danger about him. Téa found it incredibly forbidden, and therefore irresistible. He wore a suit of black with only hints of the white shirt he wore beneath at the collar where the white was creased over the black and a red kerchief tucked and folded neatly in his breast pocket. His dark hair swayed over his forehead in the light breeze and though his eyes looked black in the night, a glint of light proved them to be cobalt in color. Her laughter ceased.  
  
Seto moved closer and dropped to one knee, tilting his head to look at the nymph before him who dared to wear her hair down in public society and go without her precious gloves. His gaze fell down to the slingshot in her hands and he laughed. His hand reached out and tucked a few errant strands of hair behind her ear and he leaned in close.  
  
"I'm Seto, your intended," he told her informally, inhaling her wild scent.  
  
"Well, shit," was her response. Seto burst out laughing.

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Like it? Hate it? Please review and let me know either way! Again, this chapter is dedicated to Tara-hime who inspired this little bugger with her challenge. Look for more chapters soon. 


	2. Chapter 1

From Days Gone By  
written by Atlantis  
©2004

I promised chapters soon and here is one of them! Aren't you just so proud of me? Heh. Hope you all like this one as much as the last. And now, for the replies to reviewers!

LuvinAnime: Yes, it was just a prologue. Glad you like it!

Nightfall2525: The next one is right now! Hehe.

Marin M: Thanks!

mariks1andonly: I'm glad you like the story but you shouldn't be confused. I gave a clear and thorough author's note at the beginning of the prologue saying what time period they were in. Maybe you should pay more attention rather than tell me I need to clarify.

peeps: I was going for the original scheme and I'm happy you're enjoying it.

bored hungry: I love your name. It's so funny. As for the fic, I wasn't really trying to be funny but I'm glad you thought so.

Lunar Dragon 209: Sorry about the blue dress but really, women wear clothes that bring out their features and one of Téa's best features is her eyes. Red would clash and brown is icky as a dress color. But I'm glad you like it.

CommonKnowledge: Ah, so you're acquainted with my other works? Nice to have a familiar face around here. It will be fun indeed.

Kineticfairy: No need to wait anymore! Here's the next chapter. Thanks for the review!

Disclaimer: If by this time you don't know what I do and do not own as far as this show goes, then you're just daft.

Rating: PG-13 (this chapter is again, PG though)

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Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.  
  
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

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PART 1

She blinked and gaped, silent for a moment before sputtering angrily and slapping his hand away. Seto's amused expression didn't change. He leaned back a bit, still studying her, while she mumbled incoherently under her breath, though he caught some of her more colorful expressions with some surprise. He had expected a simpering idiot, not a wildcat.

Téa, for her part, was furious and couldn't seem to get a word past the barrier of her lips. If the man before her had continued to speak she wouldn't have found it so difficult to find her tongue but that shadowed smile and intense stare was unsettling her as never before. Fine then, if she couldn't get her voice to cooperate in speaking, then she would leave. Pushing up from the stone floor of the balcony Téa got to a standing position but the man followed her move and now she could only stare up at him. She backed herself against the railing though he made no move towards her and gave a startled and unattractive scream when she found herself leaning back a little too far, ready to tumble over the edge.

Windmilling her arms, she tried to right herself and moved her feet hastily, falling forward instead of back. Not only had her mouth betrayed her but her feet had as well. Téa was confined in the large hold of the man whose presence she had been trying to remove herself from. Utter humiliation swept over her at his rumbling chuckle and since she couldn't think of any other way the situation could become worse, she buried her head in his chest, her lands latching onto the lapels of his fine black coat.

"Seto, darling!" She was wrong, it could get worse. Téa peeked from her self-proclaimed sanctuary to see a richly attired woman with beautiful black hair pulled into an intricate style, waving a hanky at the man she had been forced to latch on to. The woman stopped short and hid a giggle behind her hand. That practice was all-too familiar for Téa. Her mother did it constantly. "Am I interrupting something? You two certainly seem to be getting along well," the woman commented with another giggle. Not a moment later, the doorway to the balcony had gained two other occupants, one being her mother and the other, undoubtedly the sire of the young man that held her tight in unyielding arms. Téa opened her mouth to spit out a reply when a firm hand at the small of her back stopped her.

"Lady Téa was merely explaining her unease at honoring me with a dance. She doesn't think much of her balance," Seto said quietly, his hand even more firm at the girl's indignant gasp. "But I've assured her that she will be fine. Don't look into things that aren't present, mother," Seto said in reference to his mother's insinuation. "Come my lady, we'll cure you of your shyness yet," he said a bit softer, tugging Téa to his side and tucking her arm through his.

Téa bit down on her lip so hard she was afraid she'd draw blood. How dare this creature act like he owned the world! And her! Her mouth may have betrayed her and her feet may have followed soon after, but her eyes were still able to glare and glare she did. Even when she was swept onto the dance floor and twirled in the young man's arms, she kept her stone face. He had the audacity to laugh at her.

"Must you always look like you're surprised or angry? Might I have a smile?" he enquired, tipping her back. She looked up at him from her temporary reclined position and narrowed her eyes.

"You most certainly cannot," she replied tartly, spinning away from him and bringing her hands above her head. Her hips tilted to and fro to the beat of the music, an inappropriate dance by any standards, especially with her arms fluttering all around her. It made Seto like her even more.

"You're going to cause quite the controversy," he said quietly, stepping closer as others on the dance floor began to throw disgusted looks their way. Téa rolled her eyes and tried to continue dancing her own way, though the beat didn't match the movements of her body at all.

"It wouldn't be the first time," she mumbled, closing her eyes momentarily and sighing. That self-same sigh completely left her breathless when an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her directly up against the entire front of the man claiming to be her intended. A very rare blush colored the entirety of her pale cheeks and her arms floated down to grab at his shoulders, confusing feelings coursing through her veins at his touch. He began shifting left and right, keeping her as close as possible, and damned the consequences and rumors. Téa followed his rhythm and when she took note of the looks they were receiving, **_they_** not **_her_**, she looked up at him and smiled outright, looping an arm around his neck and holding him just as tightly as he held her.

"There she is," Seto remarked quietly, moving his mouth just a breath away from her ear.

* * *

Later, as the two were scolded for their behavior on the dance floor despite their ages, the two snuck glances at each other, trying to hold in their laughter. Téa had never met a man who was not disgusted, embarrassed, or repulsed by her behavior and Seto had never met a woman as unconventional and free-spirited as the one he had danced with earlier.

"Really Téa, I thought you had outgrown these types of games. You are to be married now. Now is when you should start to cultivate a good name for yourself and your husband!" her mother chided, waving her fan frantically. Téa gave her a pointed look. "Téa, this is no joke. Young Seto is a fine man and I have arranged your marriage to him with his parents. You have tried my patience on this matter long enough."

"But mother..."

"No. I'll not hear a word from you on this! You have frightened away more than any girl's normal share of suitors and not had any qualms about it. I'll not have you snubbing the most respected family of the northern territory. It is decided."

"Father would have never forced me to..."

"Your father was a fool when it came to you! You were not born a boy but if he had had his way, you would have been raised exactly like one. Thank the Good Lord I was there the make sure you didn't lose all of your femininity."

"How dare you insult father like that! You can't just..." Téa's tirade was cut short with a sharp slap to the face. Her head turned with the force of the blow and she bit her lip to keep from crying.

"Hold your tongue, girl," her mother hissed. "Insolent and stubborn. Just like your father. Go and wash your face. You're a mess." She turned to Seto's parents. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I have to be firm with her at times. It's the only way." Had she seen the glare sent in her direction, she might not have said a word. No, it had not been Téa's eyes willing her body to turn into ash. It had been Seto's.

* * *

"Are you all right?" It was soft-spoken and careful, similar to the tone one would take when approaching a spooked horse. Téa looked up from the wash basin into the mirror above it and saw Seto in the reflection. Her eyes were no longer lit with the joviality and vibrance from earlier, replaced instead by somber reality and the remembrance of better days.

"I am fine." Seto took a hold of her forearm once she had placed the small towel down she had used to dry her face with, eventually getting her to look at him.

"You don't have to lie to me. I'm not like ordinary suitors." Téa snorted.

"That's because you're not a suitor. You've won me without even having to play the game," she bit out. Seto refused to let go when she made to walk away and turned to glare at him.

"Do you think this is what I want? If so, you're sorely mistaken. I enjoy my freedom. I have never even given thought to finding a bride and yet now I am to wed you, without any choice in the matter either. We are both reluctant parties, here. I don't love you and you don't love me but I will care about the way you're treated. I have to. I won't force you to bed me and you won't have to sleep in the same room with me. But our futures are decided now and we have to accept them as they become the same future; a shared future. I will care for you and protect you as it will be my duty. You will not be a burden. You will help me and be my partner. If there is one thing my parents have taught me it is that two people supporting each other will accomplish more and go further than one man commanding his wife as if she were a servant. Do you understand?" Seto's breathing was rough and choked with emotion. He was losing the freedom his youth had provided and would soon shoulder the responsibility of a household, land, and a wife. True, he had never been rebellious or out of line, but he enjoyed the sanctuary individuality had provided. And now he was losing that.

"Will you try to change me?" The question was angry and fearful. Seto looked down at her, watched her jaw tick in anticipation of his answer and her eyes water up.

"No. You will be my companion and my friend. I would never ask a friend to change because I value them for their weaknesses and strengths alike. As my wife, you may do as you like, within reason. And I swear on my honor as heir to the North Kaiba Coast, your mother will never lay a hand on you again," he ground out, pulling Téa into her arms. Seto was not emotional nor did he become attached to many people, but if there was one thing he could not stand for, it was brutality. He was a protector, like his father Mamoru. Had his father not been his example, it was easy to surmise he would have become ruthless because it was so easy to do so when wielding as much power as he did. But that was not the case. His father's ruthlessness had been tampered down and balanced by his mother and somehow, Seto knew that Téa would balance him in the same way.

"You're a lot like my father," Téa whispered against Seto's chest, still enclosed in the circle of his arms. Seto took a step back and looked down at her.

"With the way you were defending him before, I will accept that as a compliment." Téa nodded.

"As you should. Will you walk with me?" She stepped out of his arms and gazed steadily at him, some of the sadness gone but much still hovering around her like a suffocating mist. Seto nodded and stepped to her side, letting her link arms with him as they silently made their way through several halls and outdoors into the very garden where Téa had been shooting down into earlier. Neither said anything for a long while, merely drawing from each other the strength that could be found in a partner, thinking heavily of the direction their young lives had so quickly taken.

When they reached a particularly secluded area with large hedges surrounding the area, a small pool and fountain, a small stone bench, and a large tree whose branches hung over the still water they halted their walk. Téa released Seto's arm and fanned her skirts out as she sat down gracefully on the lush grass at the edge of the pond, slipping her shoes off and wrapping her

arms around her bent knees. Seto sat just behind her on the bench, noting how relaxed her posture had become in the last few moments and how deep and steady her breaths had become. She was at peace here.

"Was there something you wished to speak to me about?" To the point and almost always blunt, Seto asked the question that had been fluttering around his mind for the last half an hour or so that they had been walking around. Téa turned to look back at him and his breath caught in his throat. The girl was made for the moonlight and had he the power, would have frozen that single moment for all of time, preserving her soft beauty and the way her soul shone through vulnerable and unguarded eyes. He heard her sigh audibly and the moment was broken. She scooted back and settled herself between his knees, leaning her head back on his thigh to look at him.

"We will be friends?" It sounded more like an unsure statement than a question to Seto.

"That is my hope, yes," he responded quietly, watching his hand, as though detached from his body, smooth over her hair.

"And what will happen when either your parents or my mother claim it's time for me to bear you a child? What then?" she asked, her eyes slipping closed for a moment as Seto's fingers traveled over her scalp and slipped through the strands of her hair. Seto took a deep breath and furrowed his brow.

"I'm not sure," he answered honestly. "It almost seems inevitable that we will need children to continue our line but please, know that I will never force you." Téa sat up and moved to her knees, then turned around and set her hands on the tops of Seto's thighs.

"But how could I ever agree to carry the child of a man I do not love?"

"I... I don't know," Seto admitted quietly. "Surely you want a family someday."

"Well of course I do, but I had planned to do so with someone I had the chance to love. Instead we have both been thrown together because we either match or are convenient in regards to both of our needs. I am only just barely seventeen and yet I know that I will be expected to have a child, or children, within the short span of a few years..." Téa could not finish her point, having begun to sob and shake. Seto chewed his bottom lip, watching the crystalline tears slide down her cheeks and neck before leaning forward and wrapping her in a comforting embrace, gently shushing her.

"Only seventeen," he whispered. God, she **_was_** young! He had expected her to be at least twenty which would have been closer to his twenty-two but it seemed as though fate, or his parents, had different plans. He shivered as two small hands wound around

his waist inside of his jacket, the skin of her palms cool from the outside air and transferring to his warm skin. He released her for a short moment and shrugged out of his jacket, pulling it around her shoulders and helping her pull her arms through the sleeves before lifting her onto his lap and pulling her close once more. He could only slightly understand her hesitation over having a child with someone she didn't love but he couldn't see why she didn't think she could come to love him in time.

True, he didn't see himself falling in love with her for he already felt the tuggings of a fatherly nurturing growing within him. She was far too young to be a true match for him. But could she not even try?

"If it comes down to it," he said shakily, "I will have my children by another woman. I would not force you to love me or bed me, as I said before. Not even to continue my ancestors' bloodline." Téa pulled away from his chest and her glassy eyes bored into his.

"And should it come to that, I will bear your children. Whether or not we love each other, as your wife I will do my duty and not have another do it for me. Hopefully by that time we will be friends. There truly is no other option. But I would like to be your friend," Téa told him ever-so-softly, pulling the jacket tighter around her as a breeze picked up. Seto leaned forward to place a kiss at her brow, a fatherly gesture that Téa felt warm her heart.

"Then as friends, our first adventure together will be to survive the few weeks of mock-courting before the wedding when you live with me and my family," he whispered to her with a smile, standing slowly and helping her to her feet before tucking her next to his side. He watched the last remnants of Téa's tears fade away as she rolled her eyes and looked up at him.

"Yeah," she snorted. "That'll be fun." Seto chuckled and together they began walking back to where they had come from, back to the lion's den.

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End of chapter 1. Personally I wasn't too pleased with the way this chapter turned out. After I finished it and read over it, it seemed forced. The next chapter flows much better. But as for this one... Like it? Hate it? Review and let me know either way! 


	3. Chapter 2

From Days Gone By  
written by Atlantis  
©2004

As promised, here is the next chapter. I was much more pleased with this chapter than the last in both the characterization and the overall flow.

Thank you to all of the following who reviewed the last chapter, I appreciate you so much: Marin M, Azurite, winterwing3000, Eve-Of-Misery, Penny Lane00, yoursolastsummer, bored hungry, LuvinAnime, Shy-Lil-Dreamer, Kineticfairy, peeps, Ana, Nicole (huggles to you!), Ashe, The Cougar, Sphincter, and mariks1andonly.

Disclaimer: It's really not mine. If it was, I'd rub it in your face.

Rating: PG-13 (Yet another clean chapter though, making it PG)

* * *

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs with no fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule when she gives instructions. She carefully watches all that goes on in her household and does not have to bear the consequences of laziness.  
  
Proverbs 31: 25-27

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PART 2

When the two youths rejoined their parents it was nearly the end of the party and it was decided that they would all leave, since they were receiving odd looks and glares from the way Seto and Téa had danced earlier. They parted with cordial goodbyes and Téa's mother promised that she would send her daughter to the Kaiba estate straightaway, just as soon as the girl had packed her things. With one last kiss bestowed upon the back of Téa's hand, Seto bid her farewell and told her that he looked forward to seeing her soon, though both of them knew it would be too soon.

From the moment Téa and her mother arrived home two days later, all that Téa did was prepare for her departure; packing her clothes and personal possessions, bidding her friends (who had all been married for at least a year) tearful goodbyes, and taking great care to make sure that her horse was also substantially ready for the move. Not only did Téa take her own things with her but many mementos of her father as well, including all of his books and journals about his studies. She only wished that she could have taken his large red armchair with her for she had fond memories of him reading to her in it by firelight as a child. It was a melancholy time for the young woman, and the mood only worsened with her mother talking non-stop about her new world and how she was "finally settling down when girls her age had been married for three or four years now". Téa wanted to stuff a rag into the woman's mouth.

It wasn't that Téa didn't love or care for her mother; far from it. But ever since her father's death, her mother had changed. Slowly, she had drawn in upon herself, refusing to leave the manor for nearly a year. Then, she had begun to focus on public image and the gossip scene, something that she hadn't even remotely cared for when her father had been around. At first, Téa had striven to do everything her mother asked in the hopes that she would someday return to the woman she had once been. Her hopes had been in vain. Instead, Téa's mother looked back on the days of yesterday with distaste and horror, unbelieving that she had ever -not- cared about society. To her abject terror, Téa had begun to act just like her father and succeeded marvelously in driving away any and every suitor that came her way. And there had been many.

Sighing as she placed the last of her clothes into her traveling trunk, she waved off her maidservant and leaned against the side of her bed, heaving a sigh. At least her mother had left the doorway, no longer hovering over Téa like a hawk. That at least had brought the young woman some peace. Now, looking around her room, only a few tapestries remained on the walls and nothing else. Everything that had been atop her bureau and writing desk were now carefully packed away. A deep, sad feeling bloomed in the bottom of her stomach knowing that this would be the last time she would look upon her room; the last time she could freely gaze at rooms where she could remember her father without any trouble. It was as if his very spirit saturated the furniture and stones in the walls. Téa clutched at the necklace around her neck, her most prized possession, and got to her feet with a heavy sigh.

Walking over to the window, Téa looked down over the inner courtyard to see several of the groomsmen tugging her horse out of his stall, brushing him down and laying a thick blanket over his back in preparation for the journey. As expected, he gave them hell and Téa grinned. Her horse had the same spirit as her father, as herself, never giving anything freely unless earned. Those men, as long as she had known them and as nice as they were, had never truly gained the respect of her fiery stallion and so he never gave any. It made Téa giggle as she walked away from the window to her wash basin, splashing water on her face to freshen her cheeks and wash off some of the dust that had settled on her chin and eyelashes.

"Téa! It's time to go!" she heard her mother shout from downstairs. Téa looked up into the mirror and nodded to herself, then pressed her lips into a thin line.

"Coming," she replied only loud enough to be heard.

* * *

"You don't look at all nervous." Seto looked over to his mother who sat drinking tea primly on the edge of her chair.

"Should I be?" he drawled, leaning back and swirling his brandy before throwing his head back and swallowing what was left in the glass.

"I just thought that you might be anticipating the arrival of your fiancé, that's all," she supplied, taking another small sip out of her blue china cup. "I was hoping you may even get excited. You never get excited over anything."

"And you expect me to be excited over the prospect of a future I had no say in? No control over?" he barked, leaning forward only to fill his glass once more.

"I do wish you wouldn't look at it that way," she clucked.

"And dear, don't overdo it. You don't want to be falling down when she gets here. If you must continue, at least chase that awful drink with something."

"Like more brandy?" he shot back, goading her into a response. She set a flat stare on him.

"Like water." He was a handsome devil but he had inherited his father's stubborn streak. Though he sat there, looking as though he were made for the chair, Marie Kaiba knew, as a mother always does, that her son was feeling far more tense than he was letting on. It was in the way he clenched his teeth after swallowing more alcohol, the way his arm muscles tightened beneath his rolled-up sleeves as he sat back and sent a stare similar to the one she was pinning him with back at her. His feet were set apart, seemingly in relaxation, but a mother could tell he was ready to jump at a moment's notice. Seto had chosen to wear a white shirt that buttoned up the front, a blue and silver vest that complimented his eyes, and a pair of black breeches and boots, shined until they reflected every light shining upon them. All-in-all, her eldest son looked presentable, but covertly anxious, bordering on tipsy if he didn't stop drinking...

"Excuse me madame," a voice from the doorway called out hesitantly. Seto watched his mother set her cup and saucer down delicately and turn to face the servant, not bothering to do so himself. She had been watching him, studying him. He hated when she did that.

"Yes, what is it Henry?" his mother's voiced cooed.

"Lady Gardner's carriage is approaching."

"Thank you Henry. We'll be right there," she replied smoothly, gracing him with a fake smile. Seto could just see the straight-lipped man's uninterested affirmation as he bowed and left. His chuckle brought another hard stare from his mother.

"Go and get your brother and father. You need to greet your fiancé properly and I don't want you slouching around in here when she arrives," she commanded, placing her hands on her hips.

"As though I would be that rude to a person in the same sorry situation as I," Seto mumbled under his breath. He knew that his mother must have heard him but she made no comment, though he felt her eyes on his back as he left the room to find his brother. Seto didn't have to walk far to find his younger sibling, who was just outside in the courtyard for his fencing lesson. The older Kaiba watched in pride as the dark-haired youth jumped forward and backward with light steps, slashing his sword against his father's, and causing a pleasant ring to reverberate through the air. When the two stepped apart for a brief breather, Seto clapped loud enough to get their attention and walked between them, putting a firm hold on his brother's shoulder. Father and brother removed their fencing masks and servants came forward from the sidelines to help them remove their armor.

"What was it that you needed Seto?" his father questioned, wiping his face with a small towel to get rid of the sweat.

"You mean besides interrupting your duel?" the older boy chuckled. "It appears my fiancé is approaching. Mother sent me to fetch you and make sure we ruffians were all presentable like civilized folk." His father let out a hearty laugh, clapping Seto on the back.

"Then we'd best not keep her waiting. Come along Mokuba, let's go clean up as quick as we can," he motioned to the younger boy who was tightening the thin leather thong that held his hair tied back at the base of his neck. He looked up, the blue of his eyes just as his older brother's and father's before him, though they contrasted more against his black hair. Mokuba was tall too, just having reached six feet and still showing signs of several more inches to come. His shoulders and chest were broad and full of thick muscle, unlike his brother who had a leaner appearance. The brothers shared an almost identical facial structure if not for the fact that Mokuba's was slightly squarer and Seto's was more cut and defined. In short, the heirs to the Kaiba Coast could stop the fluttering heart of a maid in a few short seconds without trying.

"Yes father. Just coming." He waved his father ahead and turned to Seto. "So, your fiancé," he stated quietly. Seto nodded. "And this is the girl I couldn't meet because I had an untimely case of the mumps?" he asked, taking his sword back to the rack where the rest hung.

"One in the same," Seto said quietly.

"And you said she was only seventeen?" Seto nodded again. "Do you realize that's a year younger than I? It'll be more like a younger sister than a wife or sister-in-law, don't you think?" His older brother gave a half-hearted laugh.

"I certainly hope not entirely. That would make it hard to have children some day." He watched Mokuba grimace in disgust. "She and I have decided to be friends, that is all." Mokuba's head bobbed in understanding. "Now get along and clean yourself up or mother will have your head." Watching the raven-haired youth run off, he realized that his brother did have a point: his fiancé was younger than even Mokuba. He had a feeling it might be easier for she and Mokuba to become friends than him. That had always been one of his weak points, making friends. He didn't understand why.

Shaking his head, he walked out of the inner courtyard and back into the manor, passing through several hallways and shrugging into his overcoat at the entrance before stepping outside to wait for the carriage. He was surprised to see that the carriage had already arrived and Téa was standing behind it, stroking the muzzle of an intimidating-looking horse, while the footmen unloaded her things at the top of the steps where Seto stood. It only took a moment for him to recover from the shock of her being there so soon before he moved his feet forward to greet her. He ended up having to cough into his hand in order to drag her attention from the large black stallion.

"Oh! Sorry, I suppose I was off in another world," she murmured, holding out her hand for Seto to take, a blush staining her cheeks.

"It's no problem," he said smoothly, kissing her gloved knuckles softly. She gave him a small smile and twirled her umbrella anxiously, looking over his shoulder.

"My family will be here any moment."

"I'm worried about the impression I'll make," she admitted, stepping closer to him and lacing her arm through his. He leaned down and automatically placed a kiss against her temple, shushing her.

"Mother and father already love you, despite the way they acted during that dance the other night, and if Mokuba doesn't like you then I shall doubt the fact that he is my brother," Seto assured her.

"Your brother?" she questioned, twirling her umbrella some more.

"Yes. He regrettably wasn't at the party because he came down with the mumps. It's hard to believe that we met nearly two weeks ago," he murmured. She nodded.

"I didn't realize how far away your estate was from mine. After more than a week in that god-awful carriage, I feel like my very bones have been jostled from their sockets," she told him, unconsciously clenching his sleeve in her fingers when she saw several people appear at the top of the steps. She tried her best to flash a winning smile at the family but a movement out of the corner of her eye made her falter. Seto roughly tugged her behind him, his stance wide and arms spread out while his mother gasped and cried for help. **_What an overreaction_**, Téa though sourly, putting a gloved hand to her forehead before lifting her umbrella from her shoulder and closing it.

Knowing that Seto would never let her past him, Téa backed off behind him and made her way around to the other side of the carriage while the Kaiba family and their respective servants gawked at the scene her horse was making when the groomsmen had tried to lead him to the stables. "Lord have mercy! Stop the girl!" Téa heard Seto's mother shout. Stopping begrudgingly, she shot an annoyed look over her shoulder, then ignored the cry and continued to approach the frenzied animal with nonchalance. Slowly, she tugged her gloves from her hands and let them fall to the ground and raised her hands in front of her, reaching out to the stallion's nose for him to smell. He reared and Seto's mother gave another frightened cry and something about putting the animal down. More determined than before, Téa launched herself forward and grabbed the rope that had come undone from the carriage where it had been tied when the groomsmen had tried to take him away.

"Everybody step away from the girl!" Téa didn't have to turn her head to know it was the patriarch of the family shouting the order and was grateful for it. Less to focus on would help calm her horse. Taking a deep breath and making sure there was plenty of slack in the rope, Téa moved slowly towards the massive animal, moving in one arm-length at a time. Though his nostrils were flaring and he kept pawing at the earth, he seemed to be calming and Téa finally reached him, completely removed the rope and then leaned in to pat his neck as a reassurance. Another deep breath filled her lungs and Téa wrapped her arms around the neck of the animal in a tight hug, then stepped back and let her hand glide up to the top of his neck before walking off in the direction of the stables, the horse obediently following her silent command.

"The animal needs to be put down," Seto's mother mumbled again, still breathing heavily into a lace handkerchief she'd brought up to her mouth. Seto gave her an angry look from his place below her and opened his mouth to say something but his father shook his head and raised his hand to silence him.

"That's nonsense Marie," he said gruffly.

"But you SAW him! He'll kill someone!" she sobbed, turning to him in a flurry of petticoats. Her eyes plead with her husband who towered above her but he shook his head and placed his hands on her shoulders and brought her into the circle of his arms.

"It is not your decision as it is not your animal, dear," he said a bit softer. "He belongs to our son's intended and as you saw, it seems she can handle him satisfactorily. We'll just keep him away from the other horses and make sure Téa trains her own groomsman." The woman hiccupped and dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her kerchief and while she did so, Mamoru motioned for his sons to go to the stables and check up on Téa. With a curt nod, Seto marched away from the scene, sick of the way his mother simpered like the ladies she gossiped with at parties. Mokuba walked beside him and it seemed that the two brothers shared the same sentiments as they approached the stables with tense shoulders and ramrod-straight backs.

Rounding the corner and entering the massive stables, Seto and Mokuba were instantly acquainted with the familiar smell of horseflesh and hay. The entire area was roofed to keep the elements out though it could be opened up to let in more air for circulation and there was also a large, enclosed fireplace that could warm it during the colder winter months. The quarters for the groomsmen were in a smaller building directly connected to the stables, fully furnished and quite comfortable despite the station of those living there. Each of the stalls were large enough to place a bed and furniture in each with room to spare; personalized blankets hung on rungs along with saddles and bridles; brushes, combs, and trinkets to adorn the horses with were separated into hanging baskets. The hay, oats, and vegetables were kept at the far end of the stables, stacked and tidy as if prepared for inspection. Fresh water was hauled in daily. To say that the Kaiba family took pride in it's horses was an understatement.

Seto and Mokuba both stopped about midway through the stables when they spied Téa's head just over the top of a stall wall. Quietly, they approached the stall and found Téa slowly moving around her animal, brushing him and humming softly, running her hands over him constantly to remind him of her presence. The brothers nodded with some satisfaction that Téa had placed her horse in a stall that had empty stalls on either side so that it was not too close to other horses. Placing the brush back into the basket where it belonged, the young woman looked up, an unhappy frown curving her mouth downwards. She wiped her dirty hands along a towel slung over the wall of the stall before opening the door that led out and closing it behind her.

"Your mother will not have my horse put down," she said fiercely, not giving either of the men a chance to speak before her. They glanced at each other before Seto stepped forward and presented his arm to Téa, who surprisingly took it with a polite nod. Seto's opposite hand reached over to gently stroke the bare skin of the hand laying atop his arm and looked down at her. She was staring up at him expectantly. He noted absently that Mokuba walked on the other side of his fiancé.

"My father has already informed my mother that your magnificent animal will not be put down," Seto said softly, finding himself strangely captivated by the way the young girl's eyes seemed to shine so brightly. She took a deep breath and pressed her lips together tightly before releasing a relieved sigh.

"May I ask what his name is?" Mokuba asked, and Seto watched Téa's head turn to acknowledge him. "Your horse, I mean."

"You may indeed," she replied softly, transitioning between a fierce protector and polite noblewoman without batting an eye. _Even mother would be impressed_, Seto remarked sarcastically to himself. "My father bought him for me when I was a small child; I have grown up with that horse. At night, my father would tell me fantastical stories, myths, legends about brave kings and ordinary men who overcame terrible obstacles. I wanted my horse to reflect that same power and honor with his name. His name is Pharaoh." Téa's gaze moved slowly to the ground and she bit her lip after mentioning her father, her grip on Seto's forearm slightly tighter.

"It is a kingly name," Mokuba admitted, looking over the girl's head to share an agreement of the eyes with his older brother. Téa suddenly sniffed and looked up.

"We have not been properly introduced yet, I am afraid," she said with a smile, once more melting into a completely different attitude. Mokuba seemed surprised at the change and opened his mouth to say something but Seto beat him to it.

"And I was ungentlemanly in not presenting him to you more formally," the dark-haired man apologized. "This," he said with a sweeping of his free hand, "is the younger brother whom you did not meet at that fateful ball, Mokuba." Mokuba bowed his head and kissed the back of Téa's hand, presenting her with a freely-given smile. She returned the grin.

"You look like a mischievous rascal," Téa laughed, linking her other arm through the one Mokuba had offered to her. "I do believe you and I shall be good friends," she added with another laugh which sent the black-haired youth into unintelligible stammering and blushing. Téa licked her lips and smiled once more, directing it at Seto, who faltered at the unexpected attention. And he was upset to realize he was mesmerized once more by her beauty. Keeping only a friendly relationship with his intended would be harder than initially hoped.

* * *

"Dear girl, I was so frightened when that beast reared up," Seto heard his mother coo at Téa from the sitting room. He grinned as he saw the girl bristle. It seemed that in the future, entertainment would always be found if observing the two womens' actions and reactions towards each other.

"My horse is no beast," Téa tried to reply as civilly as possible. "He merely gives no respect where it has not been earned. Your groomsmen, though they may have had good intentions, upset him. Even the men who cared for the horses at my previous home never quite handled him enough for him to go without a fight, for he is a fighter. Bred from the highest quality and purest blood of the Arabian line, as black in color as the night sky over the Sahara and as powerful as a sandstorm." Seto's mother Marie sucked in a breath. "My father bought him from a sheikh in Egypt."

"What a spectacular tale," Marie remarked, taking a prim sip of tea. Téa whirled on her.

"It is no tale. I assure you that you will not find another horse as powerful or fast in all of Europe. Nor as temperamental. Arabians are known to accept only one master. My horse is unique in that he allowed my father power over him as well as myself. The traveling peoples of the Arabian Desert speak of the bond between a horse and its master. It is quite similar to the soul-bond so often mentioned in love stories, though centered more around loyalty and devotion rather than fickle emotions."

"I daresay, you act as though you don't believe in love," Marie laughed. When Téa didn't start laughing along with her she stopped and set her teacup down. "You do, don't you?"

"I believe in it," Téa told her slowly. "But I don't believe it can last forever. I've seen men turn to the arms of other women despite the fact they have a faithful wife waiting at home, for love. I've seen women become harlots from being scorned too many times by love. Mothers have abandoned their children for parties and gossip, abandoned the loving memories of their husbands and families. Yes, I believe in love. But everlasting love? Never," Téa ground out, leaving Seto's mother in a state of shock as she stormed out of the sitting room to the stairs that led to the room she had been shown to earlier. She spared a brief glance at Seto who also stood, somewhat stunned, leaning against a wall with his vest undone and sleeves rolled up, his arms folded across his chest. He only barely caught the murmur Téa didn't realize she'd said aloud: "Not since my father died."

* * *

End of Part 2. This chapter was dedicated to my close pal Kysra because she loves Mokuba so much. Like it? Hate it? Review and let me know either way! 


	4. Chapter 3

From Days Gone By

written by Atlantis

©2006

Yes, this chapter has been a VERY long time in coming and I do give you permission to throw veggies and the like at me. It has actually been written and edited for quite some time now but between school and finals and work over the holiday break, I simply didn't have time to actually post it. But its here now and that's all that matters, right?

For anyone interested, I just want to get the word out that my fic, **_Riddles of the Heart_** is –NOT- finished. I simply had to put it on hiatus for a time because I had no time to write, no matter how much I wanted to. I'm hoping that will change this semester as I have been working on the next chapter. This makes me very happy and if makes even one of you out there happy, then my day has been made.

Please enjoy this chapter. It is dedicate to all of you who believed that I was not dead and would continue with this fic. Much love!

Disclaimer: It's really not mine. But the story is. Steal it in any part and I shall send my Panda after you!

Rating: PG-13 (Yet another clean chapter though, making it PG)

* * *

How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.

Psalm 36:7-8

* * *

PART 3 

Seto ran a hand through his thick hair and looked down the hall once again, knowing that on the far end his betrothed was in her new room. He didn't know why it bothered him so. Perhaps it was the way she had looked when she had gone up the stairs, lacking the life and spark he had seen vibrate in her presence since he had met her. Or perhaps it was because he didn't think she was far enough away from his quarters. Whatever it was though, Seto was literally pacing back and forth just inside his door, debating with himself over whether or not he should intrude on her obviously desired solitude.

**_Well_**, his conscience argued, **_she is your intended. Don't you need to be comforting her if something is wrong? Protecting her if she is afraid, even if that includes your own mother?_** That seemed to be enough to convince him and so he left his room, walking quietly down the deserted hall until he reached Téa's room. He rapped on the door softly several times but with no response. **_Perhaps she's sleeping_**. But if not, it was his duty to make sure she was all right. So he turned the latch of the door and pushed it open.

"Would you please stop fussing over me? Honestly, I can take my bath alone. I didn't ever need help at my own home and I don't need it here!" Téa's frustrated voice rang out from the adjoining chamber before she burst through the drawn curtains clutching the neck of a dark robe to keep it closed. Her wet hair was in wavy disarray and Seto could see the shadow of a bared leg. The implication that the rest of her was just as bare made him bite his lip. Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Téa turned and noticed Seto standing in the doorway, tilted her head as though not startled at all, and her mouth tipped up at the corners in an amused grin.

"I'm sorry m'lady, I truly am but I'm on'y doin' what the lady of the house..." the maidservant replied timidly as she came through the curtains just seconds later, then stopped abruptly as she saw Seto. "Young master! You should'na be here! Out! Out I say, 'tis not proper you see the lady this way!" she exclaimed, making sweeping motions with her hand and taking a hold of the door.

"Oh, let him be," Téa said as she broke eye contact with Seto and sat down on her bed after grabbing her brush from an unpacked trunk. Seto and the maid both turned surprised eyes on the young woman as she pulled through a knot in her hair.

"M'lady, 'tisn't right," the maid chastised, still trying to close the door through the shock of her reaction. "'Tisn't proper!" she added.

"And what is proper in this household? I'm living in the home of my intended and he sleeps just down the hall from me. What's to keep me from a midnight tryst to his room?" Téa asked from behind the veil of her hair. The maid gasped, scandalized. Téa looked up and set her brush in her lap. "Do you not have a sense of humor? Out. Both of you," she said flippantly, crossing her legs and baring more skin as she resumed brushing her hair. Seto was so dumbfounded that the maid was able to push him aside easily and shut the door behind her, biting her lip as she looked at the door and then shaking her head at her young master before trotting off down the hall, brimming over the top with fresh gossip.

Seto couldn't stop a chuckle from reverberating in his throat and walked away from Téa's door, hands in his pockets and a lightening of his steps. She was a firebrand, that one, and it would be more than fun seeing her try to have her way in his household. Fun, indeed.

* * *

Dinner was not long in coming and Seto found himself waiting outside Téa's door to escort her down to the dining hall, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed. When her door opened, one of Seto's eyebrows arched up in amusement when he heard low curses and watched as the girl slowly made her way out of her room, tugging this way and that at her dress. He nearly choked on his own air. 

Téa was suffering from having a dress that was much too small for her. The simple grey gown cut much lower than she was obviously used to and she kept trying to situate her hair in such a way as to cover the skin that was uncovered, a healthy swell of breasts that Seto appreciated far too much. The sleeves, though they would have looked silly on some other women, didn't look terrible half way up her forearm but it was apparent that Téa had torn off some sort of frill that had been sewn along the cuff because there were stray pieces of thread she was trying to tuck away. She had a beautiful proportionate curve to her body, just under what Seto guessed was average and the cut of her dress and flare at her waist only added to the pretty picture she created. But there was nothing to do about the length of the dress which was floating several inches above the floor.

"Damn this dress, damn having to **_wear_** it..." she swore, still tugging here and there and not noticing Seto's presence at all. It was only when he cleared his throat as a mask to his laughter that she looked up, a blush spreading from her chest up her neck and over her pretty cheeks. Téa shut her eyes and rubbed her temples with gloved hands, shaking her head and mumbling incoherently to herself. Then, as if there was nothing out of the ordinary about her dress, she stood up straight and held her hand out, saying quite curtly, "Shall we?" Seto took her hand and bestowed a kiss upon her knuckles before tucking her arm through his and pulling her to his side.

"Indeed," he chuckled, enjoying the way Téa flushed again and pressed her lips together in an embarrassed fashion. "It's not that bad," he whispered down in her ear. "We'll have some new clothes made for you as soon as we can get the seamstress here."

"I haven't worn an evening gown to dinner for several years and didn't realize how much I'd grown since then. This is embarrassing. Will your mother think badly of me? We didn't get off to what I would call a good start this afternoon, first with the horse and then the interrogation..." Téa trailed off, clutching at Seto's arm. Seto repressed the urge to feel warm at her words and unconscious motion, content with the fact that she trusted him enough to speak of her thoughts without repercussions.

"It will be all right," he assured her, laying his hand over hers comfortingly. She looked up at him, not sure if she should trust his words or not. "Mother is still in what Mokuba and I call her recovery period. For nearly two weeks after going to an event, she acts like the women she plays the fool for before becoming the strong individual my father goes to for advice and support. When she comes back into her own I'm sure you'll love her." Téa looked a bit more reassured and gave a slight nod and a smile.

Within moments they were entering the dining hall and sitting next to each other, Seto on his father's left side with Téa next to him and his mother and Mokuba on Mamoru's right. Despite his size and the fact he was a bull of a man, Mamoru did his best to keep dinner a jovial matter, laughing loud and often at his own jokes and stories Mokuba told about his time being sick with the mumps. Téa enjoyed the meal and the wine, often reaching for Seto's hand beneath the table for a boost of confidence before smiling sheepishly and going into a diatribe of her own of how her mother's stable hands had never been able to handle her horse. Mamoru, Mokuba, and Seto were all fascinated by the subject and though Marie looked uneasy, she didn't say anything and merely grasped at her husband's forearm while she sipped at her glass.

* * *

Even after the plates and food had all been cleared away, the small family kept talking until a yawn from Téa had the Kaiba patriarch adjourning the meal and sending them all off to bed. Seto escorted Téa back up to her room and bid her a good night before pressing a light kiss to her brow and leaving for his own chambers. He didn't know that Téa peeked out of her closed bedroom door and watched him until he disappeared behind his own. 

Sighing, Téa turned into her room and immediately began pulling at the ties that held her dress together at the back and let it fall to the floor, not caring particularly if it wrinkled. Left in her shift, Téa pulled her hair to the side and braided it loosely, tossing it back over her shoulder when she'd finished. Grabbing a pillow from off her new bed, she held it close to her chest and sat on the wide bench built into the window, pushing the glass open and staring out over the expanse of what would be her new home. It was odd being so far away from home, so far away from the memories of her father. Of course she would always carry a part of him with her, she thought as she fingered the key hanging about her neck, but it just wasn't the same as walking through the same halls her father had walked and sitting in the chairs he'd spent so much time pouring over ancient scripts in.

The breeze picked up and Téa could smell salt on it and realized, a bit belatedly, how close the manor must be to the sea. No more than a few minutes, a quarter of an hour at most, thought she could not see it. Téa had seen the sea several times, but only at the port as she watched her father leave on different excursions, new fact-finding missions and breakthroughs. He'd been a genius, a quiet man who reserved his true self for his family and his work, cheery and optimistic and entirely too giving of himself. He had no qualms helping in the field when harvest time came or when it was time to plant again or even when it was foaling season. His workers and servants had all respected him, looked up to him and gone to him with any and all troubles knowing that if anything could be done, Christopher Gardner would do his best to see it done. His death on a ship headed home due to a sickness he'd acquired in the East had been a blow to everyone he'd ever met, he left such an impression.

A shift of the breeze brought her thoughts back to the present, settling on the young man who'd come into her life so suddenly and was already someone she leaned on. He was so much like her father that she couldn't help but trust him, to be comforted knowing that he would be there to get rid of her fears and nightmares. But he was handsome, strikingly so, and she couldn't help but blush every time she realized he was near her, staring at her in that quiet, unsettling way. It was a miracle that she managed to keep her wits about her when he smiled at her or laughed. It was warm, like honey drizzling into steaming tea, and the tilt of the corners of his mouth when he smiled was just as sweet. Briefly, she wondered if he would taste the same.

"Stop that," she scolded herself, pounding the pillow she held. Leaning back heavily on the wall, she took a deep breath and let go of those thoughts. It wouldn't do to think about something that wouldn't happen. They were both victims of circumstance and had no choice in the matter. Love couldn't blossom in that type of environment. It was a fact. Wasn't it? Téa found that the more she thought about her intended the more questions formulated in her mind and the more confused she was about the whole matter. Téa sat up suddenly when the faint sound of a piano ghosted through the air and she stood, tying an evening gown over her shift and slipping on a pair of warm shoes before deciding to search out the source of the music.

The sound led her down the entire length of the hallway to a door that was only slightly ajar, the notes drifting out like a new songbird singing his first song, smooth and sharp and dancing on the air. She pushed at the door a bit and it swung open a ways, and she stepped through the door, noticing that a golden light shone out of an adjoining room to the left, spilling onto the carpeted floor like a bolt of gold material, fading at the edges. Being as quiet as she could, Téa tiptoed towards the doorway of the room and peeked around the corner, her expression softening at Seto's form, sitting relaxed in front of his piano, eyes closed, and fingers drifting over the keys as though he were Poseidon controlling the waves.

Her eyes shut and she felt her body swaying slightly to the music, utterly relaxing in its simplicity. When she opened her eyes again, she was surprised to see Seto staring at her over his shoulder, his fingers still coming down on the keys in an increasing cadence. He turned back to the piano, finished with a royal banging of keys and then turned on the stool so that he sat astride it, setting his palms on his knees.

"Can I help you?" he asked quietly, his eyes looking like liquid shadows in the room. Téa fiddled with the tie on her robe.

"I heard the music and came to see who was playing, that's all," she admitted under his careful scrutiny. "I don't believe I'll have much luck in sleeping tonight," she added. Seto nodded.

"That is to be expected, being in an entirely new place. I can only guess the creaks, groans, and windy whispers of this place will keep you up for several weeks," Seto told her with a smile. When he noticed how her gaze kept straying to the large piano he sat at, he patted the bench between his legs and she went to him, standing before him unsure what to do. Reaching up, Seto took her smaller hand in his and he pulled her down onto the cushion, grinning when she touched the keys with tentative fingertips and jumped when she pushed one just a bit harder and a sharp note rang through the air.

"I love it," Téa declared with childish delight. She turned and smiled at Seto who gave her an odd look.

"Have you never played before?" he asked.

"Oh, no," Téa shook her head. "Nobody in my house knew how to play. The only time I ever got to hear the piano was when I went to parties and the first time I heard it, I fell in love with the sound."

"Truly?" Seto prodded. Téa nodded her head and looked away as though embarrassed. "And here I thought all beautiful young maidens spent their youth learning to play for their future husbands. Croquet is also a prerequisite to matrimony. The gossip, of course, comes naturally and doesn't need to be worked at," he winked at her. Téa smiled and then laughed, her eyes squinting because of her grin. "Pray tell then, what did you do as a child to supplement those necessary lessons?" Seto pulled the cover over the keys and then leaned his elbow on it, watching Téa closely as she lit up.

"My father was adamant about my horsemanship. And my education. He said he'd seen too many children in his travels who were uneducated, not by choice, and he wouldn't see his own daughter let such a valuable tool pass her by. I am proficient in mathematics and matters of finance, well-versed in the writings of the Greeks and Romans, and can read in seven different languages," she added with a somewhat haughty tilt of her chin. Seto found his eyes couldn't stray from that lovely expanse of neck she'd exposed to him and he fought the desire to gather her into him and suck at the skin there. But he couldn't stop from raising a hand to stroke along her smooth cheek. It was quite apparent that in the course of several hours his fatherly affections were not quite as fatherly as he had planned.

With a fascination that surprised him, he watched as Téa's skin flushed with color from the skin that showed at the collar of her dressing gown, then up and over her neck and cheeks. Her eyes seemed weighted down with a glassy light, the color in them heavy and sultry, calling to him with questions of why this was happening to her. Reluctantly, Seto removed his hand from her cheek and set it back down upon his knee. She lowered her eyes to her hands lying in her lap, pressing her lips together as she did so before raising her gaze and smiling softly at him.

"An impressive feat for any individual, man or woman," Seto whispered, though he did not know why, for there was no real reason to. "I should like to see this horsemanship for myself though."

"I would be happy to oblige. I was rather amazed at your stables and the horses you keep. Your family has a keen eye for horseflesh, the best I've seen in years. Perhaps we've found a common interest?" Téa whispered back, inching her hands towards Seto's who took hold of her fingers before they reached his and rubbed his thumbs over them.

"It would seem so," his voice murmured to her. He brought her hands to his mouth and caressed the skin of her hands with his mouth, brushing softly along it like a breath of wind. Téa's breath caught and he pulled away. She seemed bereft for a moment but rose to her feet after him at his tugging on her hands and stood for a moment longer, looking up at him with intensely curious and unsure eyes, gracing him with a last, sleepy smile before turning and leaving his room.

Seto watched her all the way, waiting until he heard the click of her door in the deathly silent stone hallway before retreating to his bed and collapsing as though all his strength was suddenly gone.

Perhaps he wouldn't have to worry about becoming her friend at all. Miss Téa Gardner was fast becoming a woman he would give up his solitude for, if only to watch her flush under his gaze for the rest of his life.

* * *

End of Part 3. More will be coming, but I can't promise when. Please be patient. This will continue if it kills me, but lets hope it doesn't come to that... 

Like it? Hate it? Leave a review and let me know either way!


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